The use of electrical and electromagnetic therapy for stimulating growth and repair of living tissue has been known and recognized as an acceptable form of treatment. Prior devices, utilizing non-invasive magnetic fields, lacked the ability to simultaneously brace and treat a fracture site. Furthermore, the previously known devices did not provide the availability of multiple treatment protocols.
The electromagnetic apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,014,699, for example, placed a transducer over a previously formed plaster cast. Similarly, the multi-conductor ribbon cable treatment shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,413 and the flat bands described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,757,804, did not provide an orthotic support. Furthermore, the magnetic fields generated by the aforementioned apparatus were not directionally oriented perpendicularly with respect to a target area. Although the apparatus shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,100,373 generates normally directed magnetic fields from two treatment heads, the heads are not positioned for advantageously combining magnetic flux as in the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,616,629 shows a magnetic coil embedded in an orthopedic cast and U.S. Pat. No. 4,574,809 describes another form of cast-embedable coil for electromagnetic therapy. These last two mentioned patents utilize a conventional cast with a removable plug-in connection for a pulse-signal generator. Although these devices provide electromagnetic therapy in combination with a bracing system, the instant device can be used with or without a plaster or fiberglass cast and is furthermore portable for providing continuous treatment, if required.